Paper detector for printing machines



L. H. MORSE PAPER DETECTOR FOR PRINTING MACHINES Aug. 39 1927.

Filed Aug. 10, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30 1-927.

L. H. MORSE PAPER DETECTOR FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 anmmtoz vzw wu WK fiMu-Z(M4; is/n kl Aug. 30, 1927.

L. H. MORSE PAPER DETECTOR FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10, 1925 4 Shets-Sheet 5 o IOI 54 ammtw attozumy Aug. 30, 1927.

L. H. MORSE PAPER DETECTOR FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10, 25 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v v I I 814mm Mm w Patented Aug. 30 I UNITED STATES LAWRENGE 'MORSE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR '10 THE AMERICAN MULTI- GRAIEH GOJAIYANY, 0F CLZILVELAND, OHIO, 'A CORPQRATION OF OHIO.

PAPER 1)1il'l";ElC'll(31h FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

Application filed August 10, 1925. lse'rial No. 49,253.

This invention relates to mechanism associated with the paper feeding means of a printing machine for preventing the coaction of the printing members when the paper fails to feed. The object of the invention is to'provide a mechanism for this purpose which shall be simple in construction and eflicient in operation. The paper detector of the present application is'well adapted for use in connection with the paper feeding mechanism of an addressing ma- ;chine as shown and claimed in my prior application No. 757,352, filed December22, 1924, wherein there is a rotary drum adapted to coact with a platen to cause address plates fed between them to print on paper fed with the drum, a series of belts lying in engagement with a portion of the periphery 'ofthe druin furnishing means for feeding the paper to the impression line.

The present invention provides a detecting device which is adapted to coact with the drum in the general region where the belts act against the drum, and thus such detector engages a sheet of paper after it has been gripped by the belts and drum. Such sheet of paper covers a recess the drum into whichthe detector wouldother wise pass and thus prevents the detector from operating its throw-out mechanism only when a sheet is being fed with the rotation of the drum. roller bearing lightly against the paper-so as not to mar it, and is controlled its position by the presence or absence of the sheet. The action of-the detector is to cause the drum to be moved to idle position whenever the detector moves into therecess. This will all be explained more fully hereinafter in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rotary paper feeding mechanism to which mydetector is applied; Fig. 2 is a plan of such paper feeding mechanism; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionthr-ough the paper feeding drum and its cooperating parts; Fig. 4 is an end view of the driving .gearing and paper controlling cam of the machine looking from the opposite direction to Fig. 3; .Fi'g. 5 is a vertical transverse section on a larger scale through the axes of thepaper drum and platen; Fig. 6 is a per.- spective of a portion of the paper drum and the coacting'detector arm and roller; Figs. 7 and -8 are diagrammatic elevationsillus- The detector has a trating the action of thedetector mechanism.

As shown, the frame of the machine comprises a suitable base portion 10 having a horizontal "bed '11, an upright standard 12 v at oneend carrying a 'driving gearing, e'tc., and two standards 13 and 14 at theother end supporting the drum and the members which carry the belts. The main driving shaft, indicated at 20, is mounted in the standards 12 and 13, and. directly beneath 7 this, is a platen shaft 21 mounted in the base portion of the frame. The paper feeding drum 30 surrounds the shaft'20 and is driven by it and this drum coacts with the platen 40 which is mounted on the platen shaft. The driving connection is shown as comprising a Oldhan coupling 25 between the shaft and one end of the drum.

7 Any suitable means may be emplo ed for rotating the shaft 20. I have shown y way of illustration a hand crank22. Likewise, any suitable means may be employed for moving the platenwith the same peripheral speed as the drum. My prior application referred to shows one mechanism for moving the platen forwardly with the drum and thereafter swinging it back to idle position. In the present drawings, to simplify .the illustration', I have shown the platen as rotary, being rigidly mounted on the shaft 21-,

which is geared, with the shaft 22 by the meshing gears 23 and 24. The drum 30 which surrounds the: driving shaft'20 is rotatably mounted on an eccenme sleeve 50, whlch sleeve is internally journalledf on theshaft 20 and externally in the standard 13, By turning the sleeve,th'e approach of the drum to the platen is varied. The paper detector mechanism hereinafter described controls such turning and causes the drum to remain clear of the platen whenever the paperis absent.

The drum 30 isprovided on its exterior with a yielding segmental impressionsurface 32 adapted to coact with theplaten.

The drum carries a pair of elastic rings33 and 34: beyond this impression surface and an, intermediate arcuate elastic ring 35 ex.- tending about the drum substantially into engagement with the edges of the impression surface.

Three belts coact with the three rings 33, 34 and 35 (preferably soft rubber) on the aper drum. These belts are endless and lie si e by side; in their lowermost region they (Fig: 2) on the yoke.

loop around the roller 61 on a stationary axis; The rearmost' port-ion of each belt loops around an individual roller 62 spring-pressed rearwardly by a spring 63 acting ona lever 64 carrying the roller. At their forward and upper ends, the belts pass around a roller 66 carried by a movable yoke 67. The yoke 67 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 70 carried by the frame members. Rigid on this shaft is a rearwardly extending arm 72, to the rear end of which is connected an up wardly drawing spring 7 3. A forward extension of this arm is adjustably secured to the yoke by 'a screw engaging an ear 68 The tendency accordingly, is for the forward end of the yokef67 to move downwardly carrying with it theroller 66 and the three belts, whenever theshaft 70 is free to turn.

At the far end of the shaft 70 is secured an arm 80 carrying a roller 81 coacting with a cam 82 on the gear 23-. This cam is adjustably positioned by screws 85 locking it on the gear. lVhen the cam acts to rock the roller 81 upwardly as shown in Fig. 4, this swings the yoke 67 upwardly carrying the rollers 66 with it,thus leaving a gap between the belts and rollers 90. These rollers 90 are sectional rollers projecting through openings in a paper table'91. v

BetWeen the sectional rollers are stop fingers 92 formed on the rearward ends of arms '93 carried by a rock shaft 94. l/Vhen the roller 66 is elevated, as in Fig. 3, by the cam 82, space is thereby provided under which the operator feeds the paper until itengages the stops 92. Then when the cam 82 clears the roller 81, the yoke. 67 swings downwardlyunder the influence of the spring 73, bringing the belts. intocoaction with the rollers 90; at the same time, a screw 75 on an arm 74L-rigid on the shaft 7 0 engages a rock arm (not shown) on the shaft .94, and rocks the stop fingers downwardly 'to idle position, so that the paper is gripped between the belts and the rollers 90 and fed rearwardly. In such feeding, the paper lies between the belts and the rubber rings 33, 3e and 35 until it comes betweenthe soft segment 32 and the platen where the printing is effected, after which, the sheet may be discharged through the ejection chute 98, (Fig.

I Thefdetector mechanism of this invention comprises a hard ring 100 mounted on the drum '30. andhaving an arcuate notch 101 withwhich cooperates a roll 105 on a rock arm 106 secured to a rock shaft 107. On

this rock shaft is an arm 110 moving with the arm 106 and connected by a link 111 with an arm'112 shown .as loosely depending from the shaft 70. Keyed on the shaft 20 is a cam 120 which coacts with a roller 121 on a rock plate 122 rigidly secured to a rock shaft 123. This rock plate has a portion eX-- tending over the shaft 20 and is provided with a shoulder 125 adapted to engage the lower end of the arm 112. A spring 126 tends to pull the plate upwardly, and it may move upwardly or not according to whether its shoulder clears the arm 112 as shown in Fig. 7 or engages it as shown in Fig. 8.

The rock shaft 123 to which the cam plate 122 is rigidly secured, extends beyond. the frame standard 13 and carries a rock arm 130 which is connected by alink 131 with an arm 132 adapted to turn the eccentric sleeve 50. As shown in Fig 5, this arm 132 is loose on a short shaft- 135 pinned to the eccentric sleeve 50, but the arm is adjustably the position of the arm 132'relatively to the eccentric sleeve 50 may be adjustable, although in operation that arm is rigid with the sleeve.

From the description given, it will be seen that each rotation of the drive shaft 20 gives a rotation to the cam 120 which rocks downwardly the plate 122, thus rocking downwardly the arm 130 and turning the eccentric sleeve. This turning is in a direction to move the drum to idle position out of possible coaction with the platen. The decreasing portion of the cam, however, allows the spring 126 to rock the arm 122 to turn the eccentric sleeve in the direction to lower the drum into active position.

The cam 120 which is rigid on the main shaft 20 acts to lower the plate 122 and hold its shoulder 125 beneath the arm 112 before the notch 101 of the detector ring comes opposite the detector roller 105. Accordingly, when such notch comes opposite the'roller, the shoulder 125 on the plate is below and free from the arm 112. Now if at this time, paper be absent, the roller 105 will swing into the notch under the influence of a coil spring 140 acting on the shaft107 (Figs. 2 and 5) and this will carry the lower end of the arm 112 into the path of the shoulder 125 so that when the portion of the cam of greatest radius clears the roller 121, the plate 122 remains locked by the arm 112 as shown in Fig- 8, and thus the drum is retained in idleposition with reference to the supporting platen 10, so that as the printing member is passed between the platen and drum thereis no smudging of the impression surface on the drum. Y

" If however, paper were present when the notch 101 passed the roll 105, that roll would be retained in its-rearmost position as shown in Fig. '7, because the paper would prevent the roller passing into the notch 101, and this retained position of the 'roll will hold the arm 112 in idle position shown in Fig. 7', so that this arm 112 will not interfere with the action of the plate 122', and the plater'oller 121 accordingly movesupwardly when allowed todo so. b a cam surface of decreasing radius. This rocks the eccentric to turn the drum to active posi;

to this shaft 107, while the arm 110 is loose on this shaft and is connected therewithby means of a block 145 tight on the shaft and connected with the arm 110 by a spring 146 and a set screw 147 screwed through the block and bearing against-the arm.

As will be seen from Fig. 8, the notch 101 comes behind the detector roller at atime when the cam 120 is holding the shoulder 125 a sli ht distance below the path of the extreme ower end of the arm 112. Accordingly, there is no stress on that arm at the time of its movement, and a very light spring 140 will be sufiicient to insure the roller moving into the notch when the paper is absent. On the other hand, this light spring allows the roller to lie gently against the paper and so does not mar it when the paper covers the notch 101.

It will be seen that my detector mechanism, while simple inconstruction, is efl'ective in controlling the impressioncoaction. Inasmuch as it acts after the paper has been gripped by the belts and drum, there is no opportunity for a faulty operation, such as might result if the detection were made before the paper was actually gripped.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of a rotary drum, means for holding paper thereon, said paper being adapted to' overlie a recess in the drum, a detector adapted to bear against the face of the paper when overlyingthe recess or move into the recess when paper is absent, a platen adapted to coact with the drum, and means controlled by said detector for preventing coac-tion of the drum and platen.

2. The combination of a rotary drum, means for holding paper thereon, said paper being adapted to overlie a recess on the drum, a detector adapted to bear against the outerface of the paper when overlyingthe recess or move into the recess when paper is absent, a platen, mechanism to; periodically separating and returning the drum and platen, and means controlled by said detector for maintaining the drum and platen separated.

3. The combination of a rotary drum having a recess therein, means for holding paper on the drum over the recess, a detector positioned to engage the paper directly over the recess during the rotation of the drum, a platen adapted to coact with the drum, an eccentric mounting for-one of such coacting members, and mechanism forturning such mounting controlled by the detector.

4. The combination of a paper feeding drum having an impression surface, a belt coacting with the drum and adapted to hold paper against said drum, the'drum having a recess therein WhlCh such paper overlies, a detec-toradapted to engage the outer surface of the paper opposite the recess and thus have its position controlled by the presence or absence of paper, and means for retaining the impressionsurface active or idle according to the position of the detector.

5. The combination of a paper feeding drum having an impression surface, aneccentric mounting for the drum whereby itsaxes may be shifted, endless belts coacting with the drum and adapted to hold paper against said drum, notwithstanding shifting of the drum axis, said drum having a recess which such paper overlies, a detector adapted to engage the outer surface of the paper opposite the recess and thus have its position controlled by the presence or absence of paper, and means under the control of the detector for turning the eccentric mounting. 1 J

6. The combination of a rotary drum having animpression surface and having elastic rings, belts bearing against such rings to hold paper on the drum, said drum having a notch adapted to be covered by the paper, a detector adapted to bear against thev outer face of the paper over the notch, an eccentric on which the drum is mounted, means for turning the eccentric to bring the drum into active position, and mechanism controlled by the detector when it enters the notch adapted to prevent such turning of the eccentric.

7. The combination with two coacting members comprising a rotary paper feeding drum and a platen adapted to coact therewith, of mechanismwhei'eby said members may be separated or broughttogether, a' cam for operating said'mechanism, the drum having a notch therein adapted to be covered by the paper, a detector adapted to bear against the paper opposite the notch, and mechanism operated by the detector for preventing the operation of the cam-operated mechanism in the direction to cause c-oa'ction'of the drum and platen.

8. The combination of a rotary paper feeding drum, a platen adapted to coact therewith, an eccentric mounting for one of said'm'embers whereby the members may be separated or brought together, a cam and mechanism operated thereby for turning the eccentric, the drum having a notch adapted to be covered by thepaper,a detector adapted to bear against the paper opposite the notch, and mechanism operated by the detector for preventing the operation of the mechanism operated by the cam.

9. The combination of a rotary paper feeding drum, an eccentric sleeve on which the sameis mounted, a cam and mechanism operated thereby adapted to periodically turn the eccentric to present the drum to active position and to withdraw it therefrom, a notch on the drum which the paper may overlie, a detector adapted to bear against the paper opposite the notch, and mechanism adapted to be moved by the detector into the path of the cam-operated mechanism.-

10. The combination of a pair of coaeting members adapted to have rolling contact, an eccentric'sleeve on which one of the members is mounted, a cam, mechanism operated by the cam for turning the sleeve, means coacting wit-h one of said members and carrying paper with it, said member having a notch which the paper normally covers, a detector'coacting with the paper opposite the notch, and an abutment adapted to be moved by the detector into the path of the mechanism operated by the cam.

11. The combinationrof a rotary shaft, an eccentric sleeve mounted thereon, a drum mounted on the sleeve and coupled for retation to the shaft, mechanism for turning the'eccentric sleeve, a notch on the drum, a

detector adapted to:coact with the notch and mechanism controlled by the detector for preventing the operation of the turning mechanism.

12. The combination'of a rotary shaft, an eccentric sleeve mounted thereon, a drum mounted onthe sleeve and coupled for rotation with'the shaft, a cam rotated by the shaft mechanism, mechanism whereby the cam turns the eccentric sleeve, a notch on th drum, a detector adapted to coact with the notch, and mechanism controlled by the detectorfor preventing the cam-operated mechanism from seating the drum.

13. The combination of a rotary driving shaft, an eccentric sleeve loosely mounted thereon, a drum loosely mounted on the eccentric sleeve, ashiftable coupling connecting the drum with the shaft, a cam on the shaft, a lever coaeting with the cam and connected with the sleeve wherebythe cam turns the sleeve, a notch on the drum, a pivoted detector arm having a roller adapted to bear against the paper directly opposite the notch, anabutmentfadapted to bloclr the movement of the cam-operated lever, and a connection between said abutment and detector arm.

lhThe combination of a rotary driving shaft, an eccentric sleeve-loose thereon, a drum loose on the sleeve, a coupling con-- necting the drum with the shaft,-a pair'of elastic rings on the drum, endless'belts coacting with said rings whereby the drum 7 and belts may feed paper about the drum, a notch in the periphery of the drum adapted-to be covered by the paperso fed, detector adapted to bear against the paper in a'position' which will register-with the notch, a periodicallyoperating mechanism to turn the eccentric first in one direction and thenthe other, and means operated by the detector when it entersthe'notch to prevent the operation of said mechanism in the drum toactive' the direction to move position; I a v 15. The combination of a paper feeding drum rotatably mounted on an eccentric adapted to be turned, elastic rings onrthe. drum, an impression surface von the drum erated'by the cam for turning the eccentric,

an abutment adapted to block the move ment of 'saidmechanism, and a connection 7 between said abutment and the detector roller. f

16. Thecombination of a rotary shaft,

an eccentric sleeve loose thereon, a paper feeding drum loose on the sleeve, shift-able coupling connecting thedrum and shaft,

elastic rings on the drum, an impression surface on the drum between the rings, a

platen adapted to meet with the impression surface, a ring on the, drum adjacentto one of the elastic rings and carrying an arcuate snot-ch, a pivoted arm having a roller in position to enter the not-ch unless the same is covered by the paper, a cam rotated by the shaft, a lever operatedby the cam, connect- 111g mechanism between the lever. and the eccentrrdavhereby' thelever may turn the eccentric, a pivoted arm adapted to block the movement of said lover or clear it, and a connection between said arm and tirade tector roller. r 7

In testimony/whereof, I-hereunto affix my signature;

LAWRENCE H. MORSE. 

